Sealing means for well packers



SEALI'NG MEANS FOR WELL PACKERS Filed Feb. 14, 1949 v y v l 2SHEETS-SHEET l qw 4' 2A WL n 2l 2 /8 W MA//M/ March 24, 1953 N. T.BREAUx 2,632,515

- SEALING MEANS FOR WELL PAcKERs Filed Feb. 14, 1949 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2Wok/wsr- Patented Mar. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,632,515sEALING MEANS Fon WELL PACKERS t Neil T. Breaux, Houston, Tex.

Application February 14, 1949, Serial No. 76,318

This invention relates to sealing means for well packers, or the like.

between said abutment and well casing or other surrounding cylinder. IThe invention also embodies novel means for supporting, expanding andcontracting said abutment. Other objects and advantages will be apparentfrom the following specification which is illustrated by theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of the assembly showingthe packer collapsed and being lowered into the well casing.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the lower end of theassembly. e

Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, `showing the packerset, or expanded, and

Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the lower end of theassembly, as shown in yFigure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral I designatesan inner pipe whose upper end is threaded into the lower end lof atubular nipple 2 which, in turn, is connected to the lower end of thecoupling 3. This cou. `pling 3 is screwed into the lower end of theoperating string 4 which extends to the ground surface. The inner pipeand nipple form a support for the assembly.

There is a packer supporting ring 5 which is Apinned to the lower end ofthe nipple 2 by means oi' irangible pins 6 and which is sealed with saidnipple by means of the annular seal 1 between them. Beneath thesupporting ring 5 there is a resilient sleeve like packer 8 which issecured to said ring 5 in any selected manner, as by pins 9. The lowerend of the sleeve-like packer 8 is provided .with a deep annular `endslot I0. which is in alignment with an annular expander II.

The slot I0 forms the lower end of the packer 8 into outer and innerannular lips and reinforc- ,ing the inner lip there is a metallic bandI2 sur- .rounding said inner lip and secured aroundthe s claims. (o1.16s-12) outer side of the band there is a ring I3 whose upper marginforms an annular shoulder.

' The upper end of the expander is provided with an inside annularshoulder I4 which hangs on the ring I3, when the assembly is incollapsed position to prevent detachment of said expander and maintainIthe same in operative relation with said sleeve.

The supporting ring 5 is provided with suitable outlet openings I5which, in the present illustration, diverge upwardly to permit theescape of fluid between the sleeve-like packer 8 and the inner pipe Iupon expansion of said packer.

Spaced beneath the packer there is a tubular cage I6 which surrounds andis spaced from the inner pipe I and While the assembly is collapsed thelower end of this cage is screwed onto the reduced upper end of atubular reducing cou- 'pling I1 by means of coarse right hand threads.The cage I6 is provided with vertically extended-external sockets I8 toreceive the friction blocks I9. These friction blocks are seated on coilsprings 20 which hold the blocks outwardly in frictional Contact withthe outside casing, as shown in Figure 2.

The friction blocks 9 are retained in place by the upper and lower bands2 I, 2| whose margins, adjacent the ends of said blocks, overlap saidblocks and form stops to prevent detachment of the blocks.

Around the pipe I and seated on the upper end of the coupling I1 withinthe cage I6 there is a guide ring 22 which is externally taperedupwardly to form a guide for the cage, in assembly, to assure theintermeshing of its threads with the coarse external threads at theupper end of the coupling I'I.

Fitted into the upper end of the cage I6 and suitably pinned thereinthere is a slip-supporting ring 23 and above this ring there are thewedge shaped slips 24 which are connected to said ring, and supportedthereon, by the links 25 pivoted at their lower ends to the ring 23 andat their upper ends to the corresponding slips 24.

l There is a tubular slip expander indicated generally by the numeral 26and which surrounds -and is spaced from the inner pipe I and whose 3 theupper ends of the slips 24, as indicated in Figure 2.

The external surface of the slips are provided with teeth which arepitched outwardly and downwardly, as shown, and upon downward movementof the expander relative to the slips said slips will be expanded intoengagement with the outer casing as shown in Figure 3.

Thereis an approximately tubularA inside coupling designated'r generallyby the numeral30 and whose upper end is provided with an inwardlyextended flange 30a. also provided with an external annular grooveindicated by the numeral 3% to receive ,the lower end of the expander II.

The upper end of the slip expander has-a' wide inside annular groove 26aanddsprovided, atits 1 upper end, with an inside annular flange 2Gb.

The lower end of the coupling 3l! is provided` with an external annulariiange 3I3c which works inthe groove 26a andisengageablefwith theflange-26o to prevent separation of parts.

ThereV is a sectional retain-er ring; designated generally-hy` thenumeral 3l and;whichzisfi`ormed of-sections as 31a whoseiends overlapthussat all timesvk forming a continuous ringwhich, ineiect; is,lexpansible and contractile.

The upper end of the tubular couplingv 3.0Lis flared upwardly andtheflared portion iszformed witlidovetailed grooves 30d." The'inner4sidesiof the-'sections 3Ia of-'the retainer'ring are dared upwardly toconform-to the iiarediportio-n .ofthe coupling 30 andto ridethereagainst and` screwed intoV these respective sections Bla; arefthe'screws 31h whose. heads areA dovetailedfinthe lgrooves 30d 'so asvto forma slidable connection-:between the retainer ring and thecoupling, 30;

The; upper endof the retainer ring'3l has-an insideV annular; groove;3Ic to receive the lower end oftheiexoander I I when theY assembly isTin packerexpanding v position, as vshown Ain Figure.

The upper end of 'the'slip expander Zis providedwitlr radial doveta-ilednotches 32 which receive correspondinglyy shaped downward ex.- tensions33 carried by therespeetive sections 3 Ia of the retainer ring. so. as-tormaintain ,these parts looselyconnected. together.

Incorporated. into the inner, pipe I vand spaced `lo-eneaththeV tubularinside coupling 30` thereis an enlargedcoupling 34 of an outsidediameter to fit snugly .within the slip expander 25, as `shown in Figurel', and theilower' end ofthiscoupling 34" has an` external, annularupwardly facing shoulder 35.

Fitted'snugly with'in-the-upper end of th'eexpander- 26 there is thetubular couplingsupport 36 Whose-upper end isl provided with an externalannular ilange 35a which extends outinto `the groove 26a ofthe expander26:

In'roperation the packer assembly is assembled, as shown in Figures 1and 2; with the cage I6 screwed-tothe coupling I'I to maintain'the slips2&1 in their lowerY inner position andY with the `lowerfend. of theexpander zaresting onthe shoulder 35; and with the coupling support 3.5resting` on the upper endet-the coupling 3d. At the same time theinside1co-upling-30 is supportedY on `thefsupportiiandthe expander II issupported onsaidfcoupling', the 1s1eeveflike;p`acker Bifbeingfpinnedbythe pins t to thegnipple `2gand maintained in its upper collapsedposition` Thefriction blocksV I9 however remain inrfricltionalicontactwith'the rwell casing, as shown, in

Figure 2, andthe retainer ring 3I.will bein its lower positionandthuscontracted, as shownin Figure 1.

Said upper end is.,

When a point has been reached Where it is desired to expand thesleeve-like packer 8 the operating string A may be turned to the rightand the inner pipe I and the coupling I7 will be correspondingly turnedso as to unscrew said coupling I'I from the cage IS. The inner pipe maythen be lowered but the slips 24 will be held against downward movementso that said slips willgbe expanded outwardly into contact with theouter casing by.- said expander, as indicated in Figure 3. Meanwhile thesleeve-like packer B, being pinned to the nipple 2 will also movedownwardly and the expander II will be received by the slot' I0 and;`the downward pressure on the expander I I will move it downwardly thusforcing the coupling 30 downwardly until said expander II seats inthegroove 3Ic thus causing the ring 3l and the sleeve exp-ander to movedownwardly wedging the slips 24 outwardly and stopping the downwardmovement of the ring 3l and as the coupling. 30- moyes downwardly`relative tothe ring 3i said ring 3I willalsobe expanded outwardly'intoclose contact withthezwell casing.

Upon urthermovement .of the`r operating string 4i downwardly theresistanceiof the sleeve-like packer 8; inits expanded position,willcausethe pins E to shear: and said nipple 2willpass on down. throughth-ersleeve-,likepacker. 8 and its lowerendwill enter theinside'coupling 30 thus formingan inside `support for saidpacker 8* andthe lower end ,offthe external coupling .f3iwillland on the -upperend ofthe supporting; ring 5 so that the desired weight Amay beappliedto-thepacker fto fully expand it. Thefamount ofrthis 'weight may-becontrolled by the-,operator-.`

The lower end of the expander` I I- is ,Y down? wardly andtoutwardlyflared as indicatedin Figure;1 1 so` that thei outer lip f of the:packer` 8 will be forced outwardly into secure sealing relation withthe wellcasinggas: is indicated Vinlig'ure 3.

As is well` known rubber or similan resilient material when placed undercompression .will flow and in order. 13o-preventv this the sectional,expansible ringr3! has been providediwith means for expanding'saidiringfwhen the packer sleeve 8 is: expanded, as aboveY described,to effectively prevent the flowing downwardly ofLsaid'sleeve to thuseiect a more eiicientseal.

The drawings anddescription'V disclose-whatis now'considered to vloeIa-preferred Aform of 'the Vinvention; howeverby 'way of `illustrationmerely. The broad principle of the invention will uvbe defined by theappended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a well packer assembly, an inner pipe, a sleeve-like'packer` onIsaid'pipe, anv expansible ring adjacent oneaend of the packer, expandingmeansfwithin and vconnected tothe ringf and having a fiaredportion toexpand thering upon movement of theexpander in one direction'to closethe space between the 'assembly anda Well casing means operable bymovement ofthe inner pipe in said one direction for anchoring the ringtothe casing, said expander and ring forming an abutment, when the ringis expanded, means on theinner pipe for applying an endwise'compressiveforce against the `packer to move said endl of therpacker against `theabutment and to thereby expand the packer and means onsaid inner pipeengageable with said anchoring'means upon movement of said inner pipeinthe other direction,to releasev said anchoring means from the casing.

2.. In a well rpackerrassembly, an inner 4tubular supportadapted to beconnected to an operating string, an expansible sleeve-like packeraround said support, an expansible ring adjacent one end of the packermeans releasably carried by the inner pipe and operable by downwardmovement of the inner pipe upon release from said means to anchor thering to the casing, expanding means within and slidably connected to thering for limited longitudinal movementrelative to the ring, meanson thesupport for applying endwise compression to the packer to move thepacker against said expanding means and to actuate said means to expandsaid ring against a surrounding well casing to form an abutment and toprevent ow of the packer material when under compression and means onthe inner pipe engageable with said anchoring means to release theanchoring means from the casing upon upward movement of the inner pipe.

3. In a packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to beconnected to an operating string of pipe, means around the supportengageable with a well casing and including casing engaging slips and anexpander' releasably connected to the support and operable bylongitudinal movement of the support for moving the slips intoengagement with the casing, a ring expander mounted on the slipexpander, an expansible ring around the ring expander and adapted to beexpanded thereby, upon longitudinal movement'of the ring expander in onedirection relative to the ring, into contact with the well casing; meansforming a slideable connection between the ring expander and ring andoperable upon limited longitudinal movement of the ring expander in theother direction relative to the ring to cause the ring to move out ofcontact with the casing, an expansible sleeve-like packer around thesupport spaced from the ring expander, means on the support for applyingendwise compressive force to the `packer upon longitudinal movement ofthe support, in one direction, to force the packer against the ringexpander and to thereby expand the ring into contact with the casing toform an abutment for the packer to causeV further expansion of thepacker upon further movement of the support in said one direction andmeans on the support engageable with the expander upon movement of thesupport in the other direction to release the slips from the casing.

4. In a well packer assembly, a support, a sleeve- 'i like packer onsaid support whose lower end has an annular slot, an expansible ringadjacent one end of the packer, expanding means within the ring having aflared portion to expand the ring upon movement of the expander in onedirection to close the space between the assembly and a well casingmeans forming a slideable connection between the expander and ring andoperable upon movement of the expander in the other direction to causethe ring to move out of engagement with the casing, means connected tothe ring and operable by movement of the support in said one directionto anchor the ring to the casing, said expander and ring forming anabutment, when the ring is expanded, means on the support for applyingan endwise compressive force against the packer to move said end of thepacker against the abutment and to thereby expand the packer and apacker expander on the abutment positioned to be received by the slotupon such movement of the packer to further expand the packer and meanson the support engageable with said anchoring means upon movement of thesupport in the other direction to release said anchoring means from thecasing.

5. In a well packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to beconnected to an operating string, an expansible sleeve-like packeraround said support, means for securing one end of the packer to thesupport, an expansible ring adjacent the other end of the packer,expanding means within the ring means connected to the ring and operableby downward movement of the support for anchoring the ring to asurrounding casing, means on the support for applying endwisecompression to the p-acker to move the packer upon movement of thesupport in one direction against said expanding means and to actuatesaid means to expand said ring against a surrounding well casing to forman abutment' and to prevent flow of the packer material when undercompression, means forming a slideable connection between said ring andsaid rexpand-- ing means and operable upon movement ofsaid support inthe other direction to move the ex'- panding means with the support tocause said ring to move out of contact with the casing', said securingmeans being disruptable, upon application of said compression to allowthe support to move downwardly through the packer and means on thesupport engageable with said anchoring means upon upward movement of thesupport to release said anchoring means from the well casing.

6. In a well packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to beconnected to an operating string, an expansible sleeve-like packeraround said support, means for securing one end of the packer to thesupport for movement with the support, an expansible ring adjacent theother end of the packer, expanding means within the ring means connectedto the ring and operable by downward movement of the support for an`choring the ring to a surrounding casing, means on the support forapplying endwise compression to the packer to move the packer againstsaid expanding means upon downward movement of the support relative tothe ring to actuate said means to expand said ring against thesurrounding well casing to form an abutment and to Eprevent flow of thepacker material whenunder compression, means forming a slideableconnection between said ring and expanding means and operable uponupward movement of the support relative to the ring tomove the ring outof contact with the casing, said securing means being disruptable, uponapplication of said compression to allow the support to move downwardlythrough the packer, said support having an enlargement which enters thepacker, upon such downward movement, and forms an internal support forthe packer and means on the support engageable with said anchoring meansupon upward movement of the support to release said anchoring means fromthe well casing.

'7. In a packer assembly, an inner tubular support adapted to beconnected to an operating string of pipe, means around the supportengageable with a well casing and including casing engaging slips and anexpander for the slips, a ring expander mounted on the slip expander, anexpansible ring around the ring expander and connected to the slips andadapted to be expanded by the ring expander, upon longitudinal movementof the ring expander, into contact with the well casing, an expansiblesleeve-like packer around the support spaced from the ring expander andhaving an end slot, means on the support for applying endwisecompressive force to the packer upon longitudinal movement of thesupport, in one direction, to force the packer agzaginsia-1the,v ring;expander and. toA thereby` expandthefring intol contact with the casingto form an abutmentfor the'packer to cause further expansion ofthepacker uponfurther movement of.v the support'in said direction.packer expanding-.j means on the abutment adapted to be received by saidslot, meansforming a slideable connection'between the ring and ringexpander and operable upon longitudinal movement ofthe support in theother directionto move the ring outlof engagement with said casing, andmeans on the `-sup-port engageable with the slip expander uponlongitudinal movement of the support in saidv other direction to release`said slips from the vcasing.

8. In'afdevice of the character described shaped tooperate in a'tubularmember, an inner support, anexpansible sleeve.-like packing elementaround said.support, an expansible ring adjacent Yone end of.said'packing element anchoring means operable'vbylongitudinai movementof the support to anchor the.-ring to said tubular member,expanding-means Within the ring, means on vthe support adapted to causethe expandingv means `to expand said ring-into contact with the tubularmember, upon application of pressure to the opposite end of thepackingelementto. form a seal with the tubular member and prevent flowofthe materialvof the element past the seal, means forming a slideableconnection betweenthering and expanding means and operable uponlongitudinal movement of the support in the other direction to move thering out of contact with the tubular member, and means on the supportengageable with said anchoring means upon longitudinal movement of thesupport in said other direction to release said anchoring means from thetubular member.

NEIL T. BREAUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe iile` ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,173,887 Robinson Feb. 29, 19161,262,107 Sheasley Apr. 91918 2,052,785 Meyer Sept. l, 1936 2,249,171Quintrell July 15, 1941 2,382,455 Turechek Aug. 14, 1945 2,531,791Silvey Nov. 28, 1950

